Photos and Diagrams for Sale

The building of the bridge 1931

Maxwell Ayrton

Sometime ago we were told about this album of photos for sale regarding the building of the bridge to Canvey to the design of Maxwell Ayrton. The album was on sale for £800  at Henry Sotherans. They have kindly given us permission to add this to our site.

Oblong 4to. (250 x 305 mm). Photograph album bound in contemporary brown marbled paper-covered card boards comprising 49 sugar paper leaves of which 35 have a large number of actual photographs mounted to the recto and the verso, 15 leaves are related to the construction of a bridge at Benfleet Creek, Canvey Island and 20 leaves are mounted with photographs relating to the construction of Twickenham Bridge to a design by the architect Maxwell Ayrton, each set of photographs is preceded by a manuscript title-page, presumably by C.W. Little, whose signature appears in the upper corner of the front pastedown. A number of the photographs of the construction of the bridge at Benfleet are accompanied by highly detailed pen and ink drawings of a technical nature relating to specific aspects of the bridge’s erection. The photographs vary in size from around 8 x 10 cms to 20 x 25 cms.
A very interesting album of photographs apparently put together by a professional connected with both projects. The Canvey-Benfleet bridge was a moving span girder bridge that allowed yachts to make their way up to the Canvey Island Yacht Club. By 1972 it had become structurally unsound and was demolished in 1973. The photographs and drawings show in great detail the temporary navigation opening span, the driving motors used to power the rolling girders and the blockade arms, the power house, and traffic navigating its way through the opening.

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